“Basketball and Beefeaters” by John McPhee is about McPhee’s personal experiences. He writes about himself when he used to play basketball back when he was a student at Cambridge University where he was studying English Literature. Throughout the article McPhee discusses basketball and his team. The article is about a story McPhee once told a man. He begins the story by explaining to the readers how basketball courts use to be, how they were once dark and positioned in odd places where one wouldn’t usually play a game of basketball. Although the courts were dark and dreary, McPhee still preferred the old ones instead of the new courts for he explains how the new courts are too perfect and in a way boring. He tells his readers how the new courts are nice but don’t give him the advantage of a classy tale whereas the old courts gave that effect. Its then when McPhee begins the story of his basketball game, held at the Tower of London where he sees white markings on the ground representing a basketball court. He discusses how the “Royal Fusiliers” sometime plated there during “non visiting hours”. That day when he returned to his school he went and asked the secretary of his basketball team to write and ask the Royal Fusiliers to arrange a basketball match. The basketball game was set to be played at the Tower but right before the game, the support of the pole that holds the basketball net broke leaving the game to be played at an ordinary building which was disappointing.
This article was very entertaining with a unique tone. While reading “Basketball and Beefeaters” it made me laugh and kept a smile on my face. Throughout, once again McPhee used descriptive words to express the image that is presented.--Kayla Lawrence
This article was very entertaining with a unique tone. While reading “Basketball and Beefeaters” it made me laugh and kept a smile on my face. Throughout, once again McPhee used descriptive words to express the image that is presented.--Kayla Lawrence